Jedi Council
At the time of the Clone Wars, the Jedi Order had four Jedi Councils. The Jedi Temple had five spires, and while the tallest spire (the Temple Spire) contained the texts of the founding Jedi, the four smaller spires each contained one council. Jedi High Council During the Old Republic, the Jedi High Council, less formally known just as the Jedi Council, was the group of twelve wise and powerful Jedi Masters and/or Jedi Knights elected to guide the Jedi, as well as serve as an advisory body for the Chancellor (a sage governance). The council was made up of five lifetime members, four long-term members, and three limited-term members. This organizational structure had evolved from the earlier assemblies of Jedi Masters, and during the Great Hyperspace War may have been nothing more than an "inner circle" within the assembly. The Council originally had no set meeting place, and met irregularly on planets such as Ossus, Alderaan, and Chandrila. The current meeting place is at the Jedi Temple of Coruscant. The members of the Jedi Council alone chose promising Jedi to join them. No outside body attempted to appoint a member to the Council against its wishes until the Clone Wars, when Supreme Chancellor Palpatine appointed Anakin Skywalker to the Council. History of the High Council Early History When Duron Qel-Droma and his associates were tasked with the Great Hunt by the enclave council on Dantooine, the Dantooine Council itself already answered to the Jedi High Council on Coruscant. This is the earliest known time at which the Jedi High Council in its permanent, twelve-member form, headquartered in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, is known to have existed. Some decades later, during the Mandalorian Wars, the Council contained such notables as Atris, Zez-Kai Ell, Kavar, Vrook Lamar, Vandar Tokare, and Lonna Vash. They preached patience and restraint against the Mandalorian threat to the Republic, urging other Jedi not to follow the example of Revan and Malak who impetuously went off to fight the invaders. The Council later decided on the fate of the only Jedi participant of the war who returned to face their judgement—the Jedi Exile. Nearly unanimously they decided to excommunicate him from the Order, with Atris pushing for a harsher penalty. In the ensuing Jedi Civil War, the Council dispersed, and their members hid throughout the galaxy. When Sith Lady Darth Traya, who was responsible for the elimination of most of the old Council, was defeated by the Exile on Malachor V, the Jedi High Council was re-established. It was at this time that some of the Exile's companions, who had received basic Force training from him during their adventures, eventually became Jedi Masters and rebuilt the Council. Towards the Republic's end Over the next few thousand years the Council continued to govern the Jedi. Many famous members served in its ranks, including the long-lived T'un, Jocasta Nu, Micah Giett, Thame Cerulian, Tor Difusal, Tyvokka, and the mysterious Sifo-Dyas. By 32 BBY, during the events of the Battle of Naboo and the re-emergence of the Sith, Plo Koon had replaced his former Master, Tyvokka, and Ki-Adi Mundi had replaced Micah Giett. The Clone Wars Ten years later, the roster had changed slightly. In the decade of unrest, Yaddle and Yarael Poof had both died and were replaced by Shaak Ti and Coleman Trebor. During the Clone Wars, the heavy losses suffered by the Jedi led to further changes in the membership of the Council. Many Jedi held temporary positions in the body and its membership seemed to be totally in flux. By the time of the final months of the war, Eeth Koth, Adi Gallia, Coleman Trebor, Oppo Rancisis, and Depa Billaba had been replaced by Agen Kolar, Stass Allie, Kit Fisto, Coleman Kcaj, and Obi-Wan Kenobi respectively. In the final days of the war, per the request of Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin Skywalker was placed on the Council replacing Even Piell. However, much to Anakin's disappointment, he was not given the rank of Jedi Master. At the age of 23, he was the youngest Jedi to ever serve on the Council, which easily eclipsed the previous record holder, Mace Windu, who had served on the body since his twenty-eighth birthday. With relations between the Council and the Supreme Chancellor increasingly strained, the Council members asked Anakin to report on Palpatine's dealings. The decision to have Skywalker spy on the Chancellor was not reached unanimously, however, with Obi-Wan Kenobi dissenting from the decision. Believing that Palpatine was becoming a dictator (but not yet aware that he was the Sith Lord Darth Sidious), the Council decided to remove him from power and suspend the Galactic Senate, planning to act as rulers of the galaxy until a peaceful transition of power could be arranged. Such plans were not well publicized, as they would have made it easier for Palpatine to paint the Jedi in an unfavorable light. But their efforts failed. Those sent to capture Palpatine were slain most of its remaining members in the early days of the Great Jedi Purge. The only survivors were Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker—who became the Sith Lord Darth Vader. The Jedi Council died alongside the Jedi Order. The Alliance High Council Following the establishment of the New Jedi Order, Luke Skywalker considered establishing a new Jedi Council, but avoided any formal establishment. When the Galactic Alliance was founded, a decision was made to form a High Council consisting in part of Jedi and in part of Alliance government officials, to ensure the Jedi and government would cooperate rather than be at odds, as happened with the Old and New Republics. The Masters' Council By 35 ABY, the New Jedi Order had established a Masters' council. Unlike the High Council, which was essentially a body of the Alliance government serving in an advisory role to the Chief of State, the Masters' council was the leading body of the Order, dealing with strictly Jedi matters and autonomous from the Alliance government. The absoluteness of its control over the Jedi Knights was a matter of debate. The Masters' council alternately assembled either at the new Jedi Temple on Coruscant or at the new Temple on Ossus. Membership included: *Cilghal *Corran Horn *Kam Solusar *Kenth Hamner *Kyle Katarn *Kyp Durron *Luke Skywalker *Mara Jade Skywalker *Octa Ramis *Saba Sebatyne *Tionne Solusar *Tresina Lobi The Jedi Council Restored to it's former glory before the Great Jedi Purge, the council has nostalgically re-introduced the High Council as the leading political body of the Jedi Order. Current Members: *Kovu Ronan *T'iole Arnath